114 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



Zuntz has made a series of experiments on sheep and has 

 found that they are not affected by oxalic acid. He believes 

 that their pouch or second stomach must necessarily contain a 

 substance that effects a fermentation and completely destroys 

 the oxalic acid with which it comes in contact. He recom- 

 mends that animals receive increasing quantities of this forage, 

 and under no circumstances should the maximum be reached 

 at the early stages of feeding. This idea is in striking accord 

 with all accepted rules and theories of stock feeding in general, 

 as advanced by the leading authorities. 

 Conclusions re- Under all circumstances, as is generally admitted by those 



^ have S iven ^ riec * ^ eaves a thorough trial, the results 

 obtained with them are superior to fresh or sour leaves from 

 many points of view, not only as regards their nutritive equiva- 

 lents, but also their keeping qualities. 



A fact never to be forgotten is that the leaves are not eaten 

 by cattle with avidity at first. They must first become accus- 

 tomed to the new diet, as to many other condiments. However, a 

 change occurs after a few days, and then live stock in general ap- 

 pear to like this fodder and to eat the same with an unex- 

 pected relish. It is only under very exceptional circumstances 

 that a cow, or whatever animal is fed upon this waste, will 

 refuse it, and if this proves to be the case one may be assured 

 that there is some organic trouble existing and that the animal 

 is not in its normal physical condition, and should be medi- 

 'cally treated. 



In Germany excellent results have been obtained when feed- 

 ing about 30 Ibs. beet leaves per diem per head. As this has 

 been practiced for many years, it seems curious that a practical 

 farmer should not discover whether the fodder he used was 

 profitable or not. Hundreds of other examples could be cited. 

 A fact too frequently overlooked is, that when a sudden change 

 of diet is made for dairying cows, there always follows a de- 

 crease in milk production, and it remains to be determined 

 whether this is due to the fodder or to the new "regimen." 



Sufficient has been said in the foregoing to point to a ques- 

 tion of great agricultural importance in the future development 

 of the beet-sugar industry in the United States. When we con- 



